I first learned about the law – that passed the Kuwaiti parliament – on a ChicagoNow blog post entitled “Kuwait theocracy declares Islam is weak.” The law calls for the death penalty for insulting the Prophet Muhammad, his wives or relatives. Apparently, this was in response to the arrest of a Shi’ite Muslim who allegedly insulted the Prophet and his wife on Twitter (he denied doing so and claims his account was hacked). The law now goes before the Emir, who has to approve it for it to take effect.

This law is similar to other so-called “anti-blasphemy” laws that have passed in other Muslim countries. The irony of these laws is this: they are – in and of themselves – quite blasphemous.

If you pass a law that imposes the death penalty on those who insult God, or Islam, or the Prophet Muhammad, you imply that God is unable to defend Himself, that He needs us to defend His honor, or His dignity, or His majesty, or His magnificence.

How absurd.

Now, of course, I do not like it when God is cursed or mocked, or when the Prophet is maligned or attacked. Far from it. Having said that, however, I do not believe that anyone who does such a thing should be killed. God forbid!

The Quran talks about the mockery of God’s signs and messages, and nowhere does it say “kill those who engage in such behavior.” Nowhere:

And, indeed, He has enjoined upon you in this divine writ that whenever you hear people deny the truth of God’s messages and mock at them, you shall avoid their company until they begin to talk of other things - or else, verily, you will become like them. Behold, together with those who deny the truth, God will gather in hell the hypocrites (4:140)

Also read:

NOW, whenever thou meet such as indulge in [blasphemous] talk about Our messages, turn thy back upon them until they begin to talk of other things and if Satan should ever cause thee to forget [thyself], remain not, after recollection, in the company of such evildoing folk (6:68)

No death penalty; no killing; no taking of life. I mean, for God’s sake, Satan himself defied and rebelled against God, and the Lord gave him respite until Judgment Day. In fact, Satan’s discourse was quite disrespectful:

[Whereupon Satan] said: “Now that Thou hast thwarted me,” I shall most certainly lie in ambush for them all along Thy straight way (7:16).

What audacity to speak in this manner with the Lord Supreme. Still, He gave him respite. So, why – as awful as this is to me as a devout Muslim – are these Muslims so quick to condemn to death those that curse God, or the Prophet?

The Quran is full of verses that respond to the attacks and mockery leveled against the Prophet Muhammad, but none of these responses say, “Kill them”:

And yet, they [who deny the truth] say: “O thou unto whom this reminder has [allegedly] been bestowed from on high: verily, thou art mad! Why dost thou not bring before us angels, if thou art a man of truth? [Yet] We never send down angels otherwise than in accordance with the [demands of] truth; and [were the angels to appear now,] lo! they [who reject this divine writ] would have no further respite! (15:6-8)

Verily, thus shall We deal with all who were lost in sin: for, behold, whenever they were told, “There is no deity save God,” they would glory in their arrogance and would say, “Shall we, then, give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet?” Nay, but he [whom you call a mad poet] has brought the truth; and he confirms the truth of [what the earlier of God’s] message-bearers [have taught] Behold, you will indeed taste grievous suffering [in the life to come] although you shall not be requited for aught but what you were wont to do. (37:34-39)

EXHORT, then, [O Prophet, all men:] for, by thy Sustainer’s grace, thou art neither a soothsayer nor a madman. Or do they say, “[He is but] a poet – let us wait what time will do unto him”? Say thou: “Wait, [then,] hopefully; behold, I, too, shall hopefully wait with you!” Is it their minds that bid them [to take] this [attitude] – or are they [simply] people filled with overweening arrogance? (52:29-32)

Thou art not, by thy Sustainer’s grace, a madman! (68:2)

For, this fellow-man of yours is not a madman: (81:22)

Yes, God may punish those who mock Him, or His messages, or His messengers on Judgment Day, but no where in these verses does it say “kill them now.” So, by what authority do these so-called “defenders of the faith” call for the murder of so-called “blasphemers.” They have none, and they distort the holy Word of God when they do thus.

In the beginning of the ChicagoNow blog post, it read: “Any belief that cannot withstand scrutiny isn’t worth having. Anyone who is secure in their beliefs does not run away from criticism, they welcome it.” The author, James Kirk Wall, could not have been more correct.

“Truth,” it has been said, “does not fear investigation.” God, Almighty and Powerful, is not threatened by the attacks and mockery of those who don’t believe in Him. God does not need us to defend Him. It is just as He said in a Sacred Prophetic Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad:

O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, [both the human and spiritual beings of you] to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, [both the human and spiritual beings of you] to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.

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Dr. Hesham Hassaballa

I am Chicago-born and raised Pulmonary and Critical Care physician and writer. I am so very grateful and blessed to be able to take care of patients when they are most ill. I am also grateful to share my thoughts with my fellow Chicagoans and Americans about Medicine and being a doctor in today's world.